A sunny October Sunday was the perfect weather for a four mile walk around the zoo. Stop for the stingrays and skip what you want.
Adult admission in autumn (1 October to 30 November). Stingray Beach is $5 more and the Skyfari is $7 a ride. Summer is about $34, winter about $10 less, and parking is free. Check the zoo's site before you go - prices change by season.
We were there from about 11 until 3 and still didn't see everything. Give it the whole day if you want it all.
Pet the rays
Stingray Beach is a huge pool full of rays - and a couple of sharks - that you can reach in and touch. It's $5 on top of admission. You wash your hands before and after you get in, and there didn't seem to be a time limit, though it also wasn't busy while we were there.
The rays figure out pretty quickly who has food, so unless you pay again for food, you might only get a few pets in before they start ignoring you. Find a spot away from the kids, too - they splash, and the rays avoided those areas pretty well.
I had one that kept coming back to me and pushing up into my hand for firmer pets, which was so cute. It was the best part of the whole day.
The animals were awake
What impressed me most, overall, was how active the animals were. The gorillas were up and playing, a lot of the monkeys were playing too, and there was a baby something running laps around its completely unbothered mother, which was hilarious.
One of the big cats was pacing, then dramatically flopped over and made a noise - not a roar, but definitely a sound.
Under the Desert Dome
The Desert Dome is a massive structure, and it's really well themed - honestly, the whole zoo is really well themed.
The part that impressed us most, though, was the night section underneath it. They flip the schedule so it's fully dark down there, which means you can see the nocturnal animals awake during the day.
Buy the add-ons first
Buy your add-ons before you go in, so you can plan a route around them and cut down on doubling back. We bought our tickets at the gate - it's a digital kiosk, not a person, and there was no line.
Our route: left to the Desert Dome first, then the gorillas, then the ray area, then Asia, then the Skyfari down to the giraffes, a snack break, and the sea lion show. Then we called it.
And don't feel like you have to see everything. Skip what doesn't interest you - we skipped the frogs and the birds and such.
The Skyfari is for the views
The Skyfari was cool. It had good views, I saw several animals from above, and I got photos I wouldn't have got from the ground. It's $7 a ride.
It's oddly placed, though. It runs from the front of the park to the back, so unless you do the round trip, you end up doing a lot of backtracking to see everything. Next time I'd probably skip it and just walk the full loop.
What wasn't there
No pandas, which was the big letdown, and the lions weren't out - or at least not anywhere we could see them. A lot of the Desert Dome animals weren't in their exhibits either.
We didn't see the elephants out from the Skyfari, and we didn't feel like trekking back across the park to check whether they'd come out. The train was closed, too, which we thought would have been fun.
Getting in
It was about 20 minutes from where we were staying and really easy to get to. Parking is free. The lot we were in felt full, but it was still easy to get from where we parked to the entrance.
Wear real shoes
We walked over four miles and still didn't see everything, and there are some pretty major hills. Bring water and snacks if you don't mind carrying them with you.
The food was average - exactly what you'd expect from a place like this - and pricey for sure.
How it compares
It's a good zoo. I'd put it on par with DC - almost better, if it weren't for the missing pandas - but San Diego is still incredible.
Who it's for
Good for all people, really. I'd go back, just not immediately - and next time I'd probably skip the Skyfari and walk the full loop.
Buy the add-ons before you go in, plan your route, and don't feel like you have to see everything.